Netherlands, Scotland, PNG, HK secure WC qualifiers

Netherlands have won the ICC World Cricket League Championship 2015-17 title with a match to go and secured their spot for World Cup qualifiers with Scotland, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong.

The Dutch have also become the 13th team for the 13-team ODI league, which is set to start in 2020 as a qualification competition for 2023 World Cup. They will be playing eight ODI series with full-member nations.

Netherlands have defeated Namibia in their previous match at ICC Academy Oval 2 in Dubai. Wesley Barresi’s 120 and Ben Coopers 109* have given them a eight-wicket win over Namibia. They are confirmed as championship winners with 20 points from 13 games.

Scotland are currently placed second with 17 points after a eight-wicket victory over Kenya. Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong are placed third and fourth with 16 points each. Hong Kong confirmed their World Cup qualifiers spot with a 23-run win in these two team’s face-off.

There is yet another round to be played in WCL Championship, which is on December 8. Kenya, Nepal, United Arab Emirates and Namibia have failed to finish at top four.

Netherlands, Scotland, PNG and HK will join West Indies, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland in the ten-team ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018, which will be hosted by Zimbabwe in March. The top two teams from the tournament will qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.